Follow the streambed to the right of the Avcilar-Goreme road and, on leaving it, go some 800 meters further to arrive at a large rock in the form of a kind of tent. This is one of the most interesting churches in the whole Goreme region, called El Nazar. Carved in an isolated cone of rock, it is a cruciform church with vaults as the three longer arms of the cross and a horse-shoe apse. There are tombs in the east wing, and a basement toward which the floor has in large part collapsed, while the east wing is in complete ruins. Despite the ravages of nature and time, however, the paintings on the ceiling are quite well preserved.

The paintings, done on a straw-lime plaster surface, date from the 11 th century. On the arches opening onto the side vaults from beneath the central dome there is a series of rosettes depicting Old Testament prophets, and anather portraying the saints, The remaining surfaces are done in scenes from the life of Christ, from childhood through the miracles to the Passion. This subject matter is in conformance with the style Jerphanion calls archaic.